FDA proposes rule to increase animal food safety

   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued a proposed rule under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) aimed at improving the safety of food for animals.
   The proposed regulation, which is open to public comments for the next 120 days, aims to prevent foodborne illness in both animals and people. “People can get sick by handling contaminated food, such as pet food,” the agency said.
   Specifically, the proposed rule would require makers of animal feed and pet food to be sold in the United States to develop a formal plan and put in place procedures to prevent foodborne illness. The rule would also require them to have plans for correcting any problems that arise. In addition, it would require animal food facilities for the first time to follow proposed current good manufacturing practices that address areas such as sanitation.
   FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said the proposed rule “addresses a critical part of the food system, and we will continue to work with our national and international industry, consumer and government partners as we work to prevent foodborne illness.”
   FDA will hold three public meetings on the proposed rule. The first meeting will be held on Nov. 21 at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in College Park, Md. The second will be on Nov. 25 at the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago, followed by the third on Dec. 6 at the John E. Moss Federal Building in Sacramento, Calif.
   More information about the proposed rule is available here.